Za'atar Cacio e Pepe

Restauranteur Yottam Ottolenghi has given the Italian classic, Cacio e Pepe, a magical touch by adding za'atar into the mix. The technique for making Cacio e Pepe correctly isn't complicated, but it is important to follow the instructions exactly in order to ensure a rich smooth sauce.  Use a wide pan without too much water for the pasta to enable enough starch from the pasta to emulsify the sauce. Grate the cheeses as finely as possible (if you have a Microplane grater that is ideal), the cheese will then melt happily into the sauce. This tasty dish was cooked for us by our grandson following our recent stay with him. 

Ingredients for 4

400g dried bucatini (this is a thick spaghetti with a hole running through the center commonly used throughout Lazio and Rome.

Bucatini

Spaghetti

50g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.

10g Za'atar, plus 1 ½ tsp extra to serve. (Za'atar is a Middle Eastern blend of sesame seeds, sumac, cumin seeds, thyme, oregano, & marjoram)

2tsp freshly cracked black pepper

130g Parmesan, very finely grated

30g Pecorino Romano, very finely grated

2½ tbsp olive oil

2 tsp fresh marjoram leaves (optional)

sprinkle of sea salt. 

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Method

1. In a wide pan on a medium-high heat, bring 1.3 litres of water to the boil, then season with ¾tspn of salt. Add the bucatini and cook for nine minutes, until al dente, stirring every now and then so the pasta doesn't stick together or to the bottom of the pan, and to ensure it remains fully submerged. Drain the pasta, but reserve all the cooking water - you should have about 520ml left; if not, top up with a little hot water.

2. In a large, high-sided, non-stick pan on a high heat, melt the butter until bubbling, then add the Za'atar and pepper then cook stirring for a minute until fragrant. Add the reserved cooking water, bring to a rapid boil and cook for 5 minutes, until it reduces a little and turns silky. Stir the pasta vigorously into the sauce, then add the parmesan in two batches, continuing to stir vigorously as you go but wait until the first half has melted in before adding the next. Once all of the parmesan has melted, add the pecorino, continuing to stir until it has also melted and the sauce is smooth and silky. Transfer to serving dishes and finish with the oil, fresh marjoram (if using), the remaining za'atar and a small pinch of salt. 

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Family Tales

We have both been staying with our grandson in his lovely new home in an area very familiar to me - it was once my childhood home. He and his girlfriend both work in London but their spare time is spent climbing, riding their bikes through the dales, and what looks alarming to me, rock bouldering. When he purchased the property he hadn't realised that he was buying in an area so familiar to both of us.

They are both continuing with their London careers, but remotely, all of which appears to work well.

Our grandson has been looking into all of our family trees, and has discovered some interesting data about my side of the family.

Many families have unsubstantiated stories or generational tales regarding their ancestry with elements of truth, but often no firm foundations. 

My maternal grandmother's maiden surname was Jacques, and the story told is that her father could have been descended from Huguenot immigrants. The Huguenots were Protestants who fled France and Wallonia (southern Belgium) from the 16th C to the 18th C due to religious persecution during the European Wars of Religion. After the English Reformation, England was seen as a safe place for refugees. Importantly, however, they also brought their skills and expertise as silk-weavers, silversmiths, merchants, vine-growers, wig makers, and hat-makers which helped the country to expand its global horizons.

The ancient market town where our grandson has bought his home is 30 miles away from where I lived, but it was a very important town re: silk weaving. There are still several Heritage silk mills and many terraces of silk weavers cottages, all of which brought wealth to the town. This knowledge re: the silk weaving helps to bring  more relevance to the Jacques family story. My grandson has discovered that a young women born in his town, married a man called John Jacques and that they were the parents of my maternal grandmother. They are my great grandparents, and my grandson's great great great grandparents. 

Importantly he has also traced our Jacques family name back to three more generations, and is very hopeful that he will find more information by subscribing to the Ancestry website.

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